BYRD - JONES - LAYLOR Accomack County VA
Let me try to make sense of a complicated story.I’m searching for the descendants (if any exist) of the two slaves who were willed to my gr grandfather in 1857 by his late mother.Here’s the story:
Hiram JONES was born about 1805 in Accomack county, VA.He became a doctor and married Harriet BLOXOM on March 24, 1829.They had at least 2 sons (William E. Jones and Charles W. Jones), but Hiram died very young, on Jan 7, 1832.The 1830 U.S. census lists 7 whites and 2 female slaves in the household.
On Aug 9, 1836, Harriet got remarried to a man named John P. Laylor.The 1840 U.S. census lists 11 whites, 1 free colored male and 2 slaves (a female and male, between the ages of 10-23) in the household.
William E. JONES is my gr grandfather and oldest son of Hiram and Harriet.He was born in Accomack county, VA on Feb 15, 1830.In 1849, he traveled to California, became a true 49’er and never left the state.In 1857, his mother Harriet died and left him 2 slaves (SHADRACK & MARIA).Through lawyers, William Jones sold the slaves for $400 to a William S. Byrd of Accomack in July, 1857.
The 1860 U.S. census slave schedule lists a Wm. S. Byrd in Accomack county as a slave owner age 65 (black) with a male slave age 35, and 2 female slaves aged 33 and 18.I’m wondering if the male (age 35) and female (age 33) could possible by Shadrack and Maria, who would have been previously owned by John Laylor and Harriet (Bloxom, Jones).
I know this search is a long shot, but I felt compelled to try.When I first learned that my gr grandfather had sold slaves, it bothered me.He died in Sierra County, CA in 1888, when his son Alton (my grandfather) was only a year old.From all accounts, he was quite a pioneer and a very generous man.The local Indians wept when he died.
If anyone has connections or suggestions, please let me know.I don’t know if SHADRACK or MARIA ever took last names, which makes this search all the more difficult.